Please help! Power steering line

[dsmmrm]

Hi all,

I have a giant dilemma on my 08kk. One of the small steel lines that runs from one point on the steering rack to another point on the rack has busted. It has a pinhole in it which leaks quite quickly under pressure. When it broke my PS was gone within 2 miles. Right now there is a rubber hose with a hose clamp over it as a patch which slows it down quite a bit but still leaks. This is not one of the lines to/from the pump or cooler, which are readily available, it is a part of the rack gear itself.

It is all steel like a brake line. This line is not sold separately from the rack itself and no commercial mechanic around here is willing to try to fabricate one. I tried removing it myself but just can't do it in the driveway. Maybe with a lift but I can't seem to get to it with what I have.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I was quoted $1200 to put a whole new rack in. This is absurd considering the rack is fine otherwise. Anyone r&r the steering rack and have some words of wisdom?

 

[dsmmrm]

Uh oh.
49 views and no replies. I hope I haven't stumped the collective.

 

[tjkj2002]

Well it's about 6 hours labor to do a KK's steering rack,then a alignment is needed.$1200 for a remaned rack install and alignment is the right price.And yes no way to get that transfer line anywhere but on a remaned or new rack.

Be glad you don't have a kia and some others where there racks are dealership only and run about $800-$1200 alone before markup.

 

[hectikart]

so this might be totally out of the realm of reality, but if it's just a pinhole in a steel tube, what a little careful welding just to try to close the hole up...again, that could be a ridiculous statement, but was just the first thing that came to mind...and if the other option is replacement anyway, why not give it a shot. any thoughts?

 

[dsmmrm]

tjkj, I agree that the price to r&r the entire rack is not unreasonable. What is unreasonable to me is having to do it at all for a simple steel line. Since I suppose I will end up taking ther rack out regardless I will be able to look at alternatives such as repairing the line ala hecticarts suggestion or fabricating one out of a brake line.

It just burns me to have to buy the entire steering rack to get a tiny little steel line.

 

[dsmmrm]

For anyone who is interested in the final outcome of my dilemma. I found a steering rack on ebay from a junk yard. Pam's auto in MN. I got good customer service when I asked some questions about the lines. Not a plug for them, just an observation.

Anyway, I took the line off the salvage unit and put it on my existing rack without removing my rack. The only disassembly I had to do was remove the battery and supporting structures to get to the top fitting. The bottom one was more or less accessible from below. That's not to say it was an easy r&r. If I had more time, removing the fan, shroud, and radiator would have left me with more skin remaining on my hands.

For the record, it is NOT a simple flange like a brake line. The end is formed in a fairly odd way and has an o-ring on the line itself that is pressed in place with a 12mm fitting. I doubt it would be practical to fabricate one.

 

[hectikart]

For anyone who is interested in the final outcome of my dilemma. I found a steering rack on ebay from a junk yard. Pam's auto in MN. I got good customer service when I asked some questions about the lines. Not a plug for them, just an observation.

Anyway, I took the line off the salvage unit and put it on my existing rack without removing my rack. The only disassembly I had to do was remove the battery and supporting structures to get to the top fitting. The bottom one was more or less accessible from below. That's not to say it was an easy r&r. If I had more time, removing the fan, shroud, and radiator would have left me with more skin remaining on my hands.

For the record, it is NOT a simple flange like a brake line. The end is formed in a fairly odd way and has an o-ring on the line itself that is pressed in place with a 12mm fitting. I doubt it would be practical to fabricate one.

Great, glad to see it worked out. And always interested in the final outcome. I wish everyone would post, if and how the issue was finally resolved.

 

[dsmmrm]

Thanks Hectikart, I may now explore your idea of welding or brazing the line now that I have it out to put back on the salvage rack to make it a complete unit.

 

[tjkj2002]

For anyone who is interested in the final outcome of my dilemma. I found a steering rack on ebay from a junk yard. Pam's auto in MN. I got good customer service when I asked some questions about the lines. Not a plug for them, just an observation.

Anyway, I took the line off the salvage unit and put it on my existing rack without removing my rack. The only disassembly I had to do was remove the battery and supporting structures to get to the top fitting. The bottom one was more or less accessible from below. That's not to say it was an easy r&r. If I had more time, removing the fan, shroud, and radiator would have left me with more skin remaining on my hands.

For the record, it is NOT a simple flange like a brake line. The end is formed in a fairly odd way and has an o-ring on the line itself that is pressed in place with a 12mm fitting. I doubt it would be practical to fabricate one.

I hope you used the correct "new" o-rings,they are a one time use thing and regular rubber o-rings will start to leak since PS fluid and if you used the correct fluid,ATF+4, eats rubber real fast.

 

[V-man]

Next time you can go to your neerest hydraulic shop, and ask for a high pressure connector for the same size outside diameter of the steel pipe. These connectors are sold in 90 deg bends and straights. You can also buy them in stainless steel.

What you do is cut the piece of pipe thats damaged, slide your connector over, tighten the two nuts on the connector, and step away. Job done. (and its freaken cheap, fast and east))

 

[dsmmrm]

I hope you used the correct "new" o-rings,they are a one time use thing and regular rubber o-rings will start to leak since PS fluid and if you used the correct fluid,ATF+4, eats rubber real fast.

Since the part is not sold separately from the rack gear I am not sure where one would acquire the "correct" new O-rings. The ones on the take off part looked fine and don't leak so I suppose it's the best I'm going to get.

 

[dsmmrm]

Just in case anyone cares...

I am kind of amazed at this but the other PS transfer line on my Jeep blew out Wednesday. I assumed that when I lost all the fluid again that my previous repair had failed somehow. Nope. The other line burst. I didn't bother doing both of them the first time around: A. because I had never heard of anyone having this problem before and thought it unlikely to happen again. and B. It's a giant pain in the butt to get these lines off without taking the steering gear out, which is an even bigger PIA.

So my Saturday is again set for me. Yay. :badger_1:

 

[jeeper4life]

Ah that ***** to hear man! gotta love Jeeps..